MOSCOW, June 26. /TASS/. Russia’s Aerospace Forces and Kalibr cruise missiles delivered a massive strike against the Ukrainian army’s training centers, Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant-General Igor Konashenkov reported on Sunday.
"Precision weapons of the Russian Aerospace Forces and Kalibr missiles delivered a massive strike against the territory of the 169th training center of land troops near the settlement of Desna in the Chernigov Region, the 199th training center of air assault forces near the community of Teterevka in the Zhitomir Region and the 184th training center of the Ukrainian armed forces in the area of the locality of Starichi in the Lvov Region," the spokesman said.
The strikes totally incapacitated the 65th and 66th motorized infantry brigades and the 46th air mobile brigade of the Ukrainian army’s strategic reserve, which were completing their training at practice ranges, the general said.
"Therefore, the planned re-deployment of these formations to the combat zone was disrupted," Konashenkov stressed.
Russia’s Aerospace Forces delivered strikes by smart weapons to eliminate ten Ukrainian platoons of multiple launch rocket systems in the Donetsk area, Konashenkov reported.
"In their counter-battery fire, the Russian Aerospace Forces delivered strikes by precision weapons in the Donetsk area to eliminate ten platoons of multiple launch rocket systems in the areas of the settlements of Avdeyevka, Ukrainsk, Ivanovka, Novosyolovka Pervaya and Vozdvizhenka in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.
A Ukrainian MiG-29 fighter was shot down in an aerial battle in the Dnepropetrovsk Region, Konashenkov reported.
"A MiG-29 plane of the Ukrainian Air Force was shot down in an aerial battle near the settlement of Zelenodolsk in the Dnepropetrovsk Region," the spokesman said.
Over 720 Ukrainian nationalists were eliminated in Russia’s air, missile and artillery strikes in the past 24 hours, Konashenkov reported.
"The strikes by aircraft, missile and artillery troops eliminated over 720 nationalists, 12 tanks and other combat armored vehicles and 16 special vehicles," the spokesman said.
Russian combat aircraft, missile and artillery troops wiped out two Ukrainian command posts, four ammunition depots and the western outskirts of Lisichansk in the Lugansk People’s Republic, Konashenkov reported.
"Operational-tactical and army aviation aircraft, missile troops and artillery struck manpower and military hardware in 286 areas, artillery and mortar units in 62 clusters, two command posts in the areas of the settlements of Visunsk and Barmashovo in the Nikolayev Region, four ammunition depots near the communities of Verkhnekamenka, Lisichansky and the western outskirts of Lisichansk in the Lugansk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.
Russia’s Defense Ministry earlier reported that the Russian troops and the LPR (Lugansk People’s Republic) militia forces had blocked Lisichansk from the south.
A Russian Pantsyr-S air defense system shot down a Ukrainian Su-25 ground attack plane and 12 Grad rockets over Snake Island in the Black Sea, with no casualties reported among the island’s garrison, Konashenkov reported.
"The enemy made yet another unsuccessful attempt to deliver strikes by aircraft and multiple launch rocket systems against Snake Island. A Pantsyr-S anti-aircraft missile/gun system thwarted the attack, shooting down a Su-25 plane of the Ukrainian Air Force and 12 rockets. There are no casualties among the garrison’s personnel and no destruction," the spokesman said.
The Russian air defense forces also eliminated eight Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and 19 rockets, including shells over Snake Island, Konashenkov reported.
"Russian air defense capabilities eliminated eight Ukrainian UAVs near the settlements of Varvarovka and Rai-Aleksandrovka in the Lugansk People’s Republic, Belyayevka in the Kherson Region, Malaya Kamyshevakha and Maliye Prokhody in the Kharkov Region," the spokesman said.
The Russian air defense systems also shot down 19 shells of multiple launch rocket systems near the communities of Suligovka, Glinskoye and Sukhaya Kamenka in the Kharkov Region, Makeyevka in the Donetsk People’s Republic and over Snake Island, the general said.
Russian forces liberated four communities on the territory of the Lugansk People’s Republic on an area of 145 square kilometers, Konashenkov reported.
"On June 25, the towns of Severodonetsk and Borovskoye, the settlements of Voronovo and Sirotino came under the control of the Lugansk People’s Republic. About 108,000 people are living in the localities liberated from the Kiev regime. The liberated territory totals about 145 square kilometers," the spokesman said.
The successes by the Russian army and the people’s militias of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics are substantially lowering Ukrainian soldiers’ morale, Konashenkov reported.
"The successes by the Russian army, the people’s militias of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics are substantially lowering the morale of the Ukrainian military. In particular, mass instances of heavy drinking, the use of narcotic drugs and deserting combat positions are observed in the 30th mechanized brigade deployed near Artyomovsk," the spokesman said.
Russian forces have destroyed 215 Ukrainian combat aircraft, 1,363 unmanned aerial vehicles, 3,809 tanks and other armored vehicles and 682 multiple launch rocket systems since the beginning of their special military operation in Ukraine, Konashenkov reported.
"Overall, the following targets have been obliterated since the beginning of the special military operation: 215 aircraft, 132 helicopters, 1,363 unmanned aerial vehicles, 350 surface-to-air missile systems, 3,809 tanks and other combat armored vehicles, 682 multiple rocket launchers, 3,012 field artillery guns and mortars and 3,864 special military motor vehicles," the spokesman said.